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Category Archives: Experiments

New Isotope/Geiger Tube Holder at Images Scientific

Posted on April 22, 2012 by David Prutchi Posted in Attenuation of Radiation, CDV700 Pro Geiger-Müller Counter, Chapter 3 - Atoms and Radioactvity, Ionizing Radiation Detection, β-Particle Magnetic Deflection
Radioisotope/GM tube calibrated sled

Image Credit: Images Scientific Corporation

Images Scientific Corporation just announced a new Geiger counter wand base provides a stable platform to hold the Geiger counter wand for experiments. The physical dimensions of the holder are 2″ wide by 12″ long. The length of the sled has markings in both metric and imperial.

The sled isotope holder provides a stable and moveable platform for radioactive isotopes 1″ diameter discs. The sled isotope holder is available in two sizes:  One that holds 1/8″ thick discs and the other to hold 1/4″ thick discs.

When used in conjunction with the Sled isotope holder a number of nuclear experiments may be performed such as the Inverse Square Law of radiation, half life, shielding effects, etc.

Continue reading→

Perkin Elmer C30902E SPADs on eBay for $91 (Unrelated to Authors)

Posted on April 18, 2012 by David Prutchi Posted in Chapter 8 - Entanglement, Entanglement, Single-Photon Counting Modules (SPCMs), Single-Photon Experiments

Perkin Elmer Excelitas single photon avalanche photodiodes on eBay  www.diyPhysics.comSomeone (I don’t know the seller) is selling brand new Perkin Elmer C30902E Silicon Avalanche Photodiodes on eBay.  Auction number:  200747161278.

These are NOT chilled by a thermoelectric cooler, so their internal noise may be too large for experiments with entangled photons unless you rig some sort of external Peltier element to keep them chilled.  However, if you are developing a SPCM, using $91 SPADs during debugging is a lot better than frying $1,000 TE-cooled SPADs.

Continue reading→

Testing Electronic Goldmine’s “Giant Super Sensitive Geiger Muller Tube MC6”

Posted on March 30, 2012 by David Prutchi Posted in CDV700 Pro Geiger-Müller Counter, Ionizing Radiation Detection

Russian-made MC6 Geiger Muller Tube evaluated by David Prutchi PhD www.diyPhysics.com

I purchased two “Giant Super Sensitive MC6” GM tubes from Electronic Goldmine (Item Number : G18717, Unit Price: $89.95).  These are Russian-made new-old-stock model MC6.  They are 10.25″ long x 0.9″ diameter.  I compared the sensitivity of these tubes to the other GM tubes that I use with my CDV700 Pro Geiger Counter. Continue reading→

Tom Van Baak’s Family-Friendly Relativistic Time-Dilation Experiment

Posted on March 15, 2012 by David Prutchi Posted in Atomic Clock, Precision Clocks and Timers, Relativistic Time Dilation
Tom Van Baak and his family-friendly relativistic time-dilation experiment

Image Credit: Tom Van Baak, Leapsecond.com

I was going through my e-mails for some information on atomic frequency standards, when I came across an e-mail that I had sent to Tom Van Baak in 2007 congratulating him for his family-friendly time dilation experiment.  If you are not familiar with his work,  I heartily recommend that you explore his precision-time-keeping webpage at LeapSecond.com. Continue reading→

d.i.y. Alpha-Particle Rutherford Scattering Experiment – Supplementary Pictures

Posted on March 3, 2012 by David Prutchi Posted in Chapter 3 - Atoms and Radioactvity, Polymeric Radiation Detector, Rutherford Alpha-Particle Scattering

diy Alpha-particle Rutherford scattering device by David and Shanni Prutchi www.diyPhysics.com

The book’s Figures 70 and 71 show our d.i.y. version of a popular apparatus to measure alpha particle scattering.  The figure above shows additional views to help you build your own.  The apparatus allows you to demonstrate alpha particle scattering discovered by Ernest Rutherford in 1908.  Fundamental to the discovery of the atom’s structure, the experiment demonstrates that the charge of the atomic nucleus is concentrated at the center of the atom. Continue reading→

Connecting to Surplus Scionix Miniature Scintillation Probes

Posted on February 20, 2012 by David Prutchi Posted in Chapter 3 - Atoms and Radioactvity, Chapter 5 - Wave-Particle Duality, Ionizing Radiation Detection, Photomultipliers, Radio-Isotope Identification, Scintillation Detector

Scionix miniature photomultiplier scintillation probe David Prutchi PhD www.diyPhysics.com

Lemo connector on Scionix miniature photomultiplier scintillation probe David Prutchi PhD www.diyPhysics.com

Scionix in The Netherlands has taken advantage of the recent development of miniature mesh-type dynode photomultiplier tubes to construct small-diameter scintillation probes.  Scionix’s miniature probes incorporate one of those PMTs, a NaI(Tl) scintillation crystal, and a built-in dynode voltage divider.  Connection to the probe is made through a miniature high-voltage locking coaxial connector.  Finding a mating connector is the main problem faced by enthusiasts who find these probes in the surplus market. Continue reading→

Simple d.i.y. Bias-T for Scintillation Probes with Single Connector

Posted on February 20, 2012 by David Prutchi Posted in Chapter 3 - Atoms and Radioactvity, Chapter 4 - The Priciple of Quantum Physics, MCA/PHA, Photomultipliers, PMT/Scintillation Processor, Radio-Isotope Identification

diy Signal/High-Voltage Splitter for Scintillation Probe with Single Connector David Prutchi www.diyphysics.comMany surplus scintillation probes have a single connector through which the PMT is fed with high voltage and the anode signal is output.  However, this may require an external “Bias-T” (a high voltage / signal splitter) to connect the probe to a high-voltage power supply that is separate from the PMT amplifier/processor. Continue reading→

Simple d.i.y. Low-Pass Filter for Interfacing PMT Amplifier to PC Sound Card (Used with Free “Pulse Recorder and Analyser” Software MCA)

Posted on February 20, 2012 by David Prutchi Posted in Chapter 5 - Wave-Particle Duality, MCA/PHA, PMT/Scintillation Processor, Radio-Isotope Identification

diy low pass filter interface between photomultiplier scintillation probe amplifier and PRA by David Prutchi Ph.D. www.diyPhysics.comFigure 34 in the book shows the schematic diagram for our photomultiplier tube (PMT) signal processing circuit has an analog output that is suitable for use with a sound-card-based multichannel pulse-height analyzer (MCA).  However, if you already have a commercial scintillation processor that you would like to use with PRA, then you will somehow need to extend the typically narrow output pulses (e.g. 1 to 10 microseconds) so that they can be acquired through the sound card. Continue reading→

d.i.y. 15 kV @ 30 mA Floating-Output AC or DC High-Voltage Power Supply

Posted on February 18, 2012 by David Prutchi Posted in High-Voltage Power Supply, Lasers, Plasma Physics

15 kV @ 30 mA diy High Voltage Power Supply by David Prutchi PhD www.diyPhysics.com

Transformers made for powering large neon signs are inexpensive and very reliable.  Most commonly, the secondary is center-tapped, which prevents the use of its full peak-to-peak output in applications where one of the terminals needs to be grounded.

In the power supply described in this post, I took out the high-voltage transformer out of its metallic enclosure to isolate the center tap from ground.  This requires very careful application of a thick insulated layer to the transformer.  I used a full can of Shellac to patiently coat and re-coat the transformer. Continue reading→

d.i.y. Quantum Dot Synthesis

Posted on February 12, 2012 by David Prutchi Posted in Chapter 7 - Schrödinger's Wave Equation, Quantum Dots

CdSe nanoparticle suspension of quantum dots of the type used by David and Shanni Prutchi www.diyphysics.comExperimental chemistry is not our forte, so we prefer to use professionally-manufactured quantum dots for the Schrödinger’s Wave Equation experiments we discuss in the book‘s Chapter 7.  However, if you are interested in synthesizing your own quantum-dot nanoparticle suspensions, we recommend that you take a look at the detailed instructions prepared by  Professor George Lisensky at Beloit College for the Preparation of Cadmium Selenide Quantum Dot Nanoparticles (Local printer-friendly copy at: CdSe_Quantum_Dot_Synthesis). Continue reading→

Home-Built Radiac (Radiation Detector and Meter) for a Surplus DT-590A/PDR-56F Scintillation Probe

Posted on February 2, 2012 by David Prutchi Posted in Chapter 3 - Atoms and Radioactvity, Ionizing Radiation Detection, Photomultipliers, Radio-Isotope Identification, Scintillation Detector

Home-Made PDR-56F Radiac for a surplus DT-590A/PDR-56F Plutonium Contamination Probe

Military DT-590A/PDR-56 “x-ray” probes are widely available in the surplus market.  They were meant to be used with the military Radiac Set AN/PDR-56, which is a portable scintillation-type instrument used for detection of plutonium-239 contamination. In addition to emitting 5.1 MeV alpha particles, Plutonium-239 also emits gamma rays in the energy range of 14 to 21 keV. Because these gamma rays are more penetrating than the alpha particles, they travel further in matter and air and can be detected at longer distances from the ground. The probe uses a CaF2(Eu) scintillator/photomultiplier combination to detect these 14-21 keV gammas from Pu-239. The discriminator inside the probe is factory-tuned to detect only pulses from the Pu-239 gamma rays. Hopefully you don’t have plutonium contamination in your basement, so you can set the discriminator window wide open to make the probe sensitive to a much wider range of gamma energies. In addition, you can replace the CaF2(Eu) crystal by a NaI(Tl) scintillation crystal assembly. This will turn the instrument into a general-purpose gamma radiation detector that will outperform virtually any handheld Geiger counter in the detection of 100keV to 1.3MeV photons.

PDR56 Circuit Continue reading→

Converting a DT-590A/PDR-56F “X-Ray” Probe into a General-Purpose NaI(Tl) Gamma Probe

Posted on February 1, 2012 by David Prutchi Posted in Chapter 3 - Atoms and Radioactvity, Ionizing Radiation Detection, PMT/Scintillation Processor, Scintillation Detector

PDR56 probe modification for general-purpose gamma detection

The military Radiac Set, AN/PDR-56 is a portable scintillation type instrument used for detection of alpha contamination. The system includes a large and small interchangeable probe with a probe extension.  This system is being phased out by the US Air Force, so new probes are becoming widely available in the surplus market.

The “x-ray” probe for the AN/PDR-56 uses a CaF2(Eu) scintillator/photomultiplier combination to detect the 14-21 keV gammas from Pu-239. The x-ray probe is an assembly which includes the amplifier-discriminator circuits integral to the phototube scintillator housing. The discriminator is a single channel analyzer adjusted to detect Pu-239 gamma rays. Continue reading→

Open-Source Handheld Gamma Spectrometer on Yahoo Group GammaSpectrometry

Posted on February 1, 2012 by David Prutchi Posted in Chapter 3 - Atoms and Radioactvity, Chapter 5 - Wave-Particle Duality, Compton Scattering, Ionizing Radiation Detection, MCA/PHA, Radio-Isotope Identification, Scintillation Detector

GammaGrapher Open-Source MCA developed by members of Yahoo Group GCE

An amateur-use open-source gamma spectrum analyzer is being developed by members of the GeigerCounterEnthusiast (GCE) Yahoo Group.  This multichannel analyzer (MCA) is based on the STM32F103VBT6 microcontroller.  It displays spectra on a color LCD.

To access the design files (and hopefully to participate in the development) you will need to join the GammaSpectrometry Yahoo Group (free membership).  Join through: http://groups.yahoo.com/ Continue reading→

d.i.y. Handheld Multichannel Analyzer (MCA) based on 16F877 PIC Microcontroller and LCD

Posted on February 1, 2012 by David Prutchi Posted in Ionizing Radiation Detection, MCA/PHA, PMT/Scintillation Processor, Radio-Isotope Identification

Isotope gama spectra obtained with d.i.y. multichannel analyzer (MCA)

Some time ago I was developing a medical instrument which required histogramming, which got me in the mood to retake my own PIC MCA project(http://home.comcast.net/~prutchi/index_files/scint.htm ).   I used the variable RAM in the microcontroller (16F877), so I limited the number of channels to 95 and let the histogram run until some channel reaches 240 counts (the highest 8-bit number that yields an integer when divided by 8 which is also divisible by the 30 pixel height of the LCD). The firmware then displays the spectrum as a bar with a maximum height of 30 pixels for each one of the 95 channels. Continue reading→

Prototyping PCB for d.i.y. Photomultiplier (PMT) Amplifier/Processor

Posted on January 31, 2012 by David Prutchi Posted in Chapter 2 - Light as Particles, Chapter 3 - Atoms and Radioactvity, Chapter 7 - Schrödinger's Wave Equation, Compton Scattering, Ionizing Radiation Detection, Photomultipliers, PMT/Scintillation Processor, Scintillation Detector, Single-Photon Experiments

Printed circuit board for diy PMT amplifier, processor, discriminator and scintillator detector

We built the bulk of our PMT amplifier/processor/discriminator on a Universal PDIP Operational Amplifier Evaluation Module by Texas Instruments (model OPAMPEVM-PDIP).  Click on the picture above for a full-size version of the picture.

The diagram in the following pdf file shows the connection layout for the circuit shown in the book’s Figure 34: PMT Processor PCB  Continue reading→

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